Umbrella notch and rib-joint.



Patented Apr. 9, IBM.

J. J. WHITTLESEY'.

UMBRELLA NOTCH AND, BIB JOINT.

M d {Application filed Sept. 20, 1900.) (No 0 e J m: nonms PETERS 0a..rucwoumoq WASHINGTON. u. c.

U ren TATES.

PATENT OFFIon.

JOHN JACOB WHITTLESEY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

UMBRELLA NOTCH AND RIB-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N 0. 671,463, dated April9, 1901. Application filed September 20, 190i)- Serial No. 30,550. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN JAooB WHITTLE- sEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUmbrellas, of which the following. is afull and complete specification,such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to umbrellas; and one object thereof is toprovide an umbrellaframe which is composed wholly or partially oftwisted wire, a further object being to provide an um brella-frame whichis strong and durable and which possesses great elasticity and is alsocomparatively inexpensive; and with these and other objectsin view theinvention consists in an umbrella-frame constructed as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The invention is fully'disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate partsof my improvement are designated by the same reference characters ineach of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a side View of anumbrellaframe made according to my invention; Fig. 2, a side view of aportion of the stock on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a plan view thereof;Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 2, showing another portion of the stock;Fig. 5, a side View of one of the ribs of the umbrella broken at twopoints; Fig. 6, a similar View of one of the braces broken awaycentrally; and Fig. 7, an inside view of a central portion of one of theribs, Figs. 5, 6, and 7 being also on an enlarged scale.

In the practice of my invention I provide an umbrella frame comprising astock 10, ribs 11, and braces 12, the stock being provided at its lowerend with a handle 10 and the opposite end thereof being projected beyondthe point of the connection of the ribs 11, as shown at 10*. w

The stock 10 is preferably composed of a central steel tube 10, as shownin Fig. 3, around which are wound a plurality of wires 10 as shown inFigs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.. These wires are preferably sixteen in number, andat the point where the ribs 11 are connected with the stock eachalternate wire is formed .into a projecting loop or eye 10 and saidstock is also provided at a predetermined distance from the handle 10with projecting knobs 10 which are formed in the tube 10 and over whichthe wires 10 are twisted in the formation of the stock.

The ribs 11 are preferably composed of two wires twisted together or ofa single wire bent centrally and twisted together, and these ribs areprovided at one end, as shown in Fig. 5, with a loop or eye 11, and atthe opposite end with a projecting loop 11",which corresponds with thetip at the end of the umbrella-ribs as usually made, and at the pointwhere the bracees 12 are connected therewith with two loops or eyes 11,as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and the loops or eyes 11 and 11 arepreferably formed integrally with the wires from which the ribs areformed, as is also the projecting loop 11.

The braces 12 are provided at each end with a loop or eye 12, and saidbraces are also preferably composed of two wires twisted together or ofa single wire doubled and twisted together, and the loops or eyes 12 areformed integrally therewith.

In connecting the ribs 11 with the loops or eyes 10 one end of each ofthe ribs, which are preferably eight in number, is placed between theone pair of the loops or eyes 10 and a wire is passed through the loopsor eyes 11 at one end of the ribs and also through the loops or eyes10", and this forms a secure connection between the ribs and the stock,while forming also a perfect hinge, as will be readily understood.

Mounted on the stock 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and at, is a sliding sleeve13, provided at its upper end with spring-tongues 13,the centralportions of which are curved outwardly to form clamps, as shown at 13and the lower end of the sleeve 13 is provided with correspondingspring-tongues 13, the central portions of which are also curvedoutwardly, as shown at 13, so as to form clamps, and the central portionof said sleeve is provided with eight sets of projecting jaws 13 betweenwhich the inner ends of the braces 12 are pivoted or secured by means ofa wire passed through the eyes or loops 12 and at one end of said bracesthrough the corresponding jaws 13 on the sleeve 13. The opposite ends ofthe braces 12 are connected with the loops or eyes 11, with which theribs 11 are provided, in the same manner or by means of a rivet, andwhile I have shown and described the ribs 11 and braces 12 as beingeight in number it will be apparent that said ribs and braces may be ofany desired number. The stock is also provided at the limit of theupward movement of the sleeve 13 with knobs or projections 10 similar tothose at 10*, which is the lower limit of the movement of the sleeve 13,and in Fig. 4 the sleeve 13 is shown at the limit of its upwardmovement. The clamps 13 engage with the knobs or projections 10 and holdthe sleeve 13 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the knobs orprojections 10 operate in a similar manner in connection with thespring-clamps 13 to hold said sleeve in its lowermost position, and allthat is necessary to move said sleeve in either direction or todisengage it from or connect it with the knobs or proje'ctions 1O and 10is to grasp the same between the thumb and fingers and pull or move itin either direction. It will be observed that the spring-tongues 13 and13 are curved outwardly at their ends, so as to enable them to pass overthe corresponding knobs or projections 10 and 10 My improvedumbrella-frame is simple in construction and operation and is alsocomparatively inexpensive, and it will be apparent that the same may bemade as strong as desired, and the said frame also possesses greatelasticity, and it will be apparent that changes in and modifications ofthe construction described may be made without departing from the spiritof my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Although I have shown and described two rings or eyes 11 on the ribs 11,it will be apparent that only one of said eyes orrings is necessary, andinstead of forming two of said eyes or rings on the ribs the staysthemselves may be provided at one end with two eyes or rings and theribs with but one.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Paten t An umbrella-frame the stock of which, or outersurface thereof, is composed of twisted wire formed into eyelets whichserve as connections for the ribs of the frame, substantially as shownand described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 18th day ofSeptember, 1900.

JOHN JACOB WHITTLESEY.

Witnesses:

HERBERT A. HUMPHREY, S. JOHN OHERRoN.

